Double closure knockdown wardrobes



Sept. 8, 1959 s. DERMAN 2,903,056

A DOUBLE cLosURE xNocKDowN wARDRoBEs Filed April 24, 1957 INVENT OR. 50M DHP/WW H TTOR/Vf Y nited States Piatent l2,903,056 DOUBLE CLOSURE KNOCKDOWN WARDROBES Sam Derman, South Orange, NJ.

'Application April 24, 1957, Serial No. 654,956

Claims. (Cl. 160-90) This `invention relates to wardrobes employing a door- 'frameunit adapted to -be assembled in or coupled with a side and Vback Wall part, a top wall part and a lbottom 'wall part, -including an integral front Wall portion, the

'several parts Abeing collapsibly folded to form a relatively thin 'package within boundaries of the width of the doorframe unit and length of the back and side "Walls,

More particularly, the invention deals with a knockdown wardrobe of the character described, wherein the 'doorframe vunit includes two normal door members movably supported in the doorframe, controlling the door opening, as well as a supplemental seal closure, rcomprising a sheet divided by two separable fasteners con- Atrolling side openings of the sheet, the peripheral edges of `the sheet being fixed to -the bordering rails of the doorframe unit.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a "supplemental or secondary closure of the character described, wherein the sheet material of said closure is flexible and yieldable means is provided, at the upper Yportion thereof, whereby, in actuation of slidersof each Vseparable fastener to open the-supplemental closure, said 'yieldable means will operate to automatically spread the :exible material to provide a free admission opening for "insertion and removal of garments with respect to the Wardrobe.

The novel features of the invention will be best under- 'stood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodi- "ments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the --separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic materially reduced front view of a wardrobe made according to my invention, Vwith portions of the structure broken away to indicate location of parts of the wardrobe assemblage. Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing one of the'primary doors of the door- Vframe 'of the wardrobe in open position and diagrammatically illustrating the spreading of the secondary closure at the open side vof t-hew'ardrobe.

Fig. 3 is an-enlarged broken section on the line 3-3 of iFig. l, with the parts in the position of Fig. 1, the section extending to the point illustrating part of the bottom wall structure; and

Fig, 4 is a bracketed view, diagrammatically illustrating-'the fully closed and two different open positions of the secondary closure.

'In illustrating-one adaptation and use of my invention, I have illustrated, in Fig. l, a wardrobe, in which `lll-represents a doorfralme unit, which is assembled in three other basic parts, namely a combination back and side wallpart 11, the back wall of which is` indicated, in tpa'rt, at l2 inFigs. 2 and 3, and the side walls, illustrated, in part, at -13-in Fig. 3.

flnfF-ig. 3, -I lhave-illustrated a portion of the top wall i714 and bottom wa11'15. The bottom wall V1'5 includes an -ible sheet material.

ffice -2 integral foldable upwardly extending front Wall portion 16 which seats in a groove 17 in the bottom rail 18 of the doorframe funit 10.

At 19 is illustrated the top rail of the doorframe unit, these rails being generally similar in construction and are provided with `inner-and outer grooves 20, 20;'21, r21 on the respective rails. The rails 18 and 19 are spaced and secured to similar side rails 22, shown in section in Fig. 2, and these rails-are grooved, as seen a't 23, to lreceive the forward edges of the side walls 13, suitable fastener-s, as at 24, being employed to secure the doorframe 10 in position on the sidewalls 13.

At 2S and 26 are shown left and righthand sliding doors, which are the primary closures for the door-opening within the rails 18, 19 and 22-of the doorframe i10.

The door 25 has side-rails'27 and 28, having projecting tongues, not shown, to operate in the grooves 21, 21'; whereas :the door -26 has side rails 29 and 30 also with projecting tongues operating in the grooves V420, the tongues of the rail-30 being indicated at 30' in Fig. 3 and it will |be understood that the other rails will -have similar tongues for the-freesliding and guided-movement of the two doors within the doorframe 10. The right door, as will be apparent, operates rearwardly of the left door and the 'rails-27, 281are joined and spaced by corrugated or -other ibrebo-ard panels 31; whereas, the rails 29 and 30 are joined Iby similar `panels 32. rllhe two doors are braced centrally by'horizontal bracing strips 33 and 34, respectively.

It will be noted, from a-consideration of Fig. 51,-that the rails 27 and-3i) have,-at their vertical centers, -ngerpiece grooves 35, 36 for manual operation of the two doors.

The side rails 22-arebrace`d with the rails 18 and 19 at the intersecting corners by corner triangular brace pieces, one of which is indicated at ..37 in Fig. 1,:and-two `of these braces 37 are shown in section at the upper and Vreference character 38.

The closure 38 can beformed from any suitable ex- However, in y*many instances, it would be desirable to employ a transparentiplastic .sheeting, so as to facilitate the user of the wardrobefto select garments for removal from 4the wardrobe. The closure 38 comprises a central wide panel portion 39 and two narrow side panels 40 and 41, the panels 40, 41 .being detachably coupled with adjacent edges of 'thersides .of

the panel 39 by separable fasteners, diagrammatically shown at 42;, 42', respectively. As is well`known:in the art, separable fasteners-comprise tapes 43, 43 and the edge portions of the sheets 39, 40 and 41 are stitchedfor otherwise secured to the tapes 43, 43'.

Also fixed to these tapes, at a shoulder height of-'garments for insertion into the Wardrobe, .are elastics or other tension means 44, `45 and 46, the elastic 44 extending over the part 39 from the tape 43 .of the-fastener 42 to the adjacent tape 43 of thefastener 42; whereas,the elastics 45, 45 extend from the other tapes of saidfasteners and are fixed Ito the side rails 22 of the doorframe, as by fasteners 47,`which pass through retaining strips v48, providing a pressure engagement upon the side portions of the sheets 40, 41 in securely coupling the same the rails 22, this construction being diagrammatically.. illustrated in Fig. 2.

I-t will be understood-that the upperedge of the sheets 39, 40 and 41 are also secured to the rails'18 and 19,and, in-Fig. 3, a section -is shown through the sheet 41 Aclosely adjacent the rail 22. VIn this figure, it will be noted-that the upper edge ofthe sheet 41 is-folded backwardlyupon itself, as seen at-49, and secured-by suitable-nails or'taeks 3 50 which pass through a pressure strip 51 and, at this point, `the upper edge of the sheet 41 lies upon the inner surface of the triangular bracing member 37, but, between these bracing members, a strip, similar to the strip 51, extends across the inner surface of the rail 19 in securing the sheet 41 and sheets 39 and 40 in position.

It is considered that the one illustration of Fig. 3 is sucient to indicate how all of the upper edges are secured in position. A similar fastening is provided for attaching the lower edge of the respective sheets to the bottom rail 18, thus like references will be primed, 49 illustrating the fold in the sheets, 50 the fastening means and 51 the pressure strip. It will be noted that the respective sheets are looped downwardly, as noted `at 52 on the sheet 41, adjacent therail 18. This is to provide a little greater play or exibility of the sheets which are otherwise transversely taut or reasonably straight across the front opening of the cabinet.

At 53 I have shown a linishing strip secured to the upper surface of the rail 19, the strip 53 resting upon the portion 54 of the top wall which extends upon the upper surface of the rail 19. The top and bottom walls 14 and 15 have side flange portions, which overlie the side and back walls, part of one of these ange portions on the wall 14 being indicated :at 55 and on the bottom wall 15 at 56. t

In Fig. 3, the flange extending over the back wall is also noted and at 56 is shown one of the side flanges on the front wall portion 16 of the bottom wall. These anges are secured in position by the use of brads or other fasteners and two of such fasteners are diagrammatically seen -at 57 in Fig. 3.

In order to clearly illustrate the functioning of the secondary or supplemental closure yand seal wall 38, I have diagrammatically represented with solid lines in Fig. 4 ya cross-section, for example, on the line 2--2 of Fig. l, through the walls 39, 40 and 41, the same being indicated by single solid lines and, immediately behind these walls, I have indicated the elastics 44, 45 and 46 irl dot-dash lines. In the upper view of Fig. 4, the closure 38 is in the fully closed position which would be the position assumed las `and when both of the primary doors 25 and 26 are in closed position.

In the intermediate showing of Fig. 4, I have diagram matically represented the right side of the supplemental closure 38 in the open zipper position, in other words, when the slide fastener has moved from the top of the doorframe to the lower portion of the frame providing a full vertical opening. In this operation, the elastics 44 and 46 will operate to draw adjacent edge portions of the sheets 39, 41 `apart, substantially at a position where the shoulder of garments hung in the wardrobe would be located. This operation provides a tentative opening which is suiciently wide to slip garments into and out of the wardrobe and, if desired, Vthe edge portion of the sheet 39 can be spread further to the left to increase the size of the opening. It will be understood that, upon moving the slider of the separable fastener upwardly, this operation automatically draws the spread sides of the sheets 39, 41 together, increasing the tension of the elastics 44 and 46.

In the lower showing of Fig. 4, the exact same condition is diagrammatically illustrated as and when the fastener 42 is operated and, in this position, the two doors 25, 2.6 will be located at the right `side of the wardrobe, las will be apparent. The location of the two separable fasteners 42, 42.' is preferably at a center point with respect to the opening left between the rails 22 yand the rails 27 and 3i), respectively.

At the right side of Fig. 2, I have diagrammatically shown the separable fastener 42 in its open position, inldicating the outward fold in the sheets 39, 4l, as Vat 39', 41', respectively, these folds being also diagrammatically `shown in Fig. 4. A similar fold takes place in the sheet 40, `as noted at 40 in Fig. 4, when the separable fastener 42 is in open position.

In cabinets of the type and kind under consideration, a hanger rod unit 58 is mounted upon the upper edge of the side walls 13 of the wardrobe, U-shaped strips 59 of the unit iitting over these walls and one of these units being diagrammatically illustrated, in part, in Fig. 3.

Pivoted substantially centrally to the strips 59, as seen at 6i), are arms `61, in the lower end portions of which is mounted the garment hanging roller or rod 62. By providing the pivotal mounting, as at 60, the arms and roller are collapsible to a position in alinement with the channel strips 59 to again simplify packaging of the several parts of the knockdown wardrobe.

It will be apparent that, with my improved wardrobe construction, an effective inner seal is provided when the separable fasteners 42, 42 are in closed position. Thus, if either one of the doors 2S, 26 should be left ajar, an effective seal is provided at the door opening, thereby affording greater protection to the articles of apparel supported or stored in the wardrobe. This is especially desirable when various types of mothprooiing chemicals are used for the protection of the garments positioned within the wardrobe.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a wardrobe comprising a doorfrarne and a pair of doors operating in said frame, a secondary closure of exible sheet material secured, at its peripheral edges, to the rails of said doorframe and disposed inwardly of the first named doors, said secondary closure having two vertically arranged separable fasteners positioned susbtantially centrally with respect to side openings of the wardrobe controlled by said iirst named doors, said separable fasteners dividing the secondary closure into a wide central sheet and two narrow side sheets, and movement of said separablefasteners into open position providing the only access to the compartment of the wardrobe.

2. In a wardrobe comprising a doorframe and a pair of doors operating in said frame, a secondary closure of flexible sheet material secured, at its peripheral edges, to the rails of said doorframe and disposed inwardly of the iirst named doors, said secondary closure having two vertically arranged separable fasteners positioned substantially centrally with respect to side openings of the wardrobe controlled by said first named doors, said separable fasteners dividing the secondary closure into a wide central sheet and two narrow side sheets, movement of said separable fasteners into open position providing the only access to the compartment of the wardrobe, and all of said sheets of the secondary closure being looped adjacent a bottom rail of said doorframe.

3. In a wardrobe comprising a doorfrarne and a pair of doors operating in said frame, a secondary closure of flexible sheet material secured, at its peripheral edges, to the rails of said doorframe and disposed inwardly of the rst named doors, said secondary closure having two vertically arranged separable fasteners positioned substantially centrally with respect to side openings of the wardrobe controlled by said first named doors, said separable fasteners dividing the secondary closure into a wide central sheet and two narrow side sheets, movement of said separable fasteners into open position providing the only access to the compartment of the wardrobe, all of said sheets of the secondary closure being looped adjacent a bottom rail of said doorframe, and tensional means independent of said separable fasteners and arranged intermediate upper and lower edges of said sheets for automatically spreading adjacent edges of the narrow and wide sheets in forming admission openings in movement of the separable fasteners into open position.

4. In a wardrobe comprising a doorframe and a pair of doors operating in said frame, a secondary closure of iiexible sheet material secured, at its peripheral edges, to the rails of said doorframe and disposed inwardly of the l l l l rst named doors, said secondary closure having two vertically arranged separable fasteners positioned substantially centrally with respect to side openings of the wardrobe controlled by said rst named doors, said separable fasteners dividing the secondary closure into a wide central sheet and two narrow side sheets, movement of said separable fasteners into open position providing the only access to the compartment of the wardrobe, all of said sheets of the secondary closure being looped adjacent a bottom rail of said doorfrarne, tensional means independent of said separable fasteners and arranged intermediate upper and lower edges of said sheets for automatically spreading adjacent edges of the narrow and Wide sheets in forming admission openings in movement of the separable fasteners into open position, and said last named means comprising elastic straps secured to the tapes of separable fastener stringers and to side rails of the doorframe.

5. In a wardrobe comprising a doorframe and a pair of doors operating in said frame, a secondary closure of flexible sheet material secured, at its peripheral edges, to the rails of said doorframe and disposed inwardly of the first named doors, said secondary closure having two vertically arranged separable fasteners positioned substantially centrally with respect to side openings of the wardrobe controlled by said iirst named doors, said separable fasteners dividing the secondary closure into a wide central sheet and two narrow side sheets, movement of said separable fasteners into open position providing the only access to the compartment of the wardrobe, all of said sheets of the secondary closure lbeing looped adjacent a bottom rail of said doorframe, tensional means independent of said separable fasteners and arranged intermediate upper and lower edges of said sheets for automatically spreading adjacent edges of the narrow and wide sheets in forming admission openings in movement of the separable fasteners into open position, said last named means comprising elastic straps secured to the tapes of separable fastener stringers and to side rails of the doorframe, and means reinforcing attachment of peripheral edges of the secondary closure to the rails of said frame.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,799,210 Blaskoff Apr. 7, 1931 2,086,895 Cart July 13, 1937 2,132,337 Whiteman Oct. 4, 1938 2,236,115 Schwartzman Mar. 25, 1941 2,249,841 Loos et al. July 22, 1941 2,261,646 Derman Nov. 4, 1941 

